Item #121418 Two aerial photographs of bombing raids on Wewak and Wakde Island. Aerial Photographs.
Two aerial photographs of bombing raids on Wewak and Wakde Island
Two aerial photographs of bombing raids on Wewak and Wakde Island
[Aerial Photographs]

Two aerial photographs of bombing raids on Wewak and Wakde Island

Two vintage gelatin silver photographs (approximately 230 × 470 mm); minor blemishes to the edges; in very good condition.

'The Bombing of Wewak was a series of air raids by the USAAF Fifth Air Force, on 17-21 August 1943, against the major air base of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force on the mainland of New Guinea, at Wewak. The four raids, over a five-day period, represented a decisive victory for the Allies: the Japanese Fourth Air Army lost about 170 planes on the ground and in the air, reducing its operational strength to about 30 planes. Ten aircraft from the US Fifth Air Force were lost' (Wikipedia). This Wewak photograph appears to document one of these attacks. Wadke Island with its important airfield, off Papua, was subjected to heavy American bombing in late April and May 1944 before being taken from the Japanese. + A similar-format aerial photograph captioned 'Lae to Finschafen (10-Jul-43)'. [3 items].

Item #121418

Price (AUD): $150.00